Electrically controlled room temperature terahertz phase shifter with liquid crystal

We present the use of electrically controlled birefringence in a nematic liquid crystal cell for phase shifting of electromagnetic waves up to terahertz frequencies. This device was operated at room temperature and a maximum phase shift of 4.07/spl deg/ was demonstrated at 1.07 THz when the interaction length was 38.6 /spl mu/m. The driving voltage and corresponding field were 176.8 V (rms) and 589.3 V/cm, respectively.